Purse snatcher prompts security boost at Gonzales Wal-Mart

GONZALES - Police are stepping up security at the Wal-Mart on Airline Highway in Gonzales after several reported purse thefts.

Gonzales Police say they are investigating after surveillance video showed a man following women around the store before snatching their possessions away.

"There is an issue. There are purses that are being attempted to be snatched, there are purses that are being snatched," said Charlotte Smith, spokesperson for Gonzales PD.

The man, wearing a sleeveless shirt and a baseball hat, can be seen lurking behind women as they shop. He is never seen pulling items from any of the shelves, leading officers to believe that he's there to snatch purses.

"In some instances, in those videos, we can see the same person at different times throughout the same day or at different times over the period of a couple of days, following different people," Smith said.

The thefts have been reported over the course of the past few weeks, and the suspect remains unidentified. Police say there may be more than one suspect.